


oc trope challenge feb 4- everyone can see it

by Paranormal_ink_96



Series: oc trope challenge 2021 [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Drabble, F/M, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:22:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29203530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paranormal_ink_96/pseuds/Paranormal_ink_96
Summary: Different people's perspectives on Zuko and Emiko's relationship after Ba Sing Se
Relationships: Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: oc trope challenge 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141043
Kudos: 5





	oc trope challenge feb 4- everyone can see it

“You haven’t been the same since you go back.” Mai said, and from anyone else it would have sounded like an accusation. From Mai it sounded like a comment on the weather. 

“Just thinking about some things.” Zuko answered. 

“Like Emiko?” 

“Don’t say her name!” Zuko snapped. Flames flared on his hands, but he quickly smothered them. After everything that had happened in Ba Sing Se, in the crystal catacombs, he couldn’t hear her name. Even if she had once been Mai and Ty Lee’s friend. 

“What happened between you?” 

“Why are you so concerned?” Mai didn’t care about anyone, least of all the airbending traitor to the Fire Nation. 

“Emiko helped me realize some things years ago. I just want to return the favor.” 

“You can’t return the favor if she’s not here.” 

Mai stepped closer, her side nearly pressed against Zuko’s, her hand against his arm. For some reason it irritated Zuko. “Yes, I can. By making you realize a few things.” 

Zuko’s heart thudded in his chest. He did realize something, with the way Mai had her head tilted it looked like they were having an intimate conversation, like Mai was going to kiss him. 

“That hollow feeling in your chest,” Mai started, hand slipping from Zuko’s arm to his chest. “That’s her absence. She’s been a part of you for so long that her not being by your side is physical pain, like you’ve been gutted.” 

“I don’t feel that.” 

“Of course not. Just like you don’t love her or anything.” 

Emiko sat on the furthest end of Appa the flying bison as she could get without falling off. She didn’t have Little Guy to catch her if she fell. She didn’t have anything anymore. 

Katara passed Aang over to Sokka before turning to glare at Emiko. “You did this!” She shouted. 

“What?” The f- “Azula did this.” 

“You’re all the same.” 

“Excuse you?” She was no where near Azula’s level. Azula had spent over a decade in her own head listening to Ozai’s poison. 

“Zuko betrayed us in the catacombs. He could have stopped Azula, but he decided to join her.” 

“He’s just confused.” Emiko argued, but her heart wasn’t in it. Not after what had happend in the catacombs. 

Katara scoffed. “You love him. Of course you’d defend him.” 

Azula looked down at the box in front of her. The puppet chest. Of course Zuzu would take as many mementos as possible from his little airbender. She’d seen the way he kept the baby bison close. She’d tried in the catacombs to convince him that Emiko was betraying him. She’d thought she’d succeeded, knew that Zuko had hurt Emiko badly, burned her. But it seemed his love for her was too strong. Azula would have to do something about that. 

Sokka took Emiko’s hand and led her away from the rest of the group. He told them they were going shopping. 

“You know I’m a wanted woman in the Fire Nation.” Emiko pointed out, but she didn’t pull her hand out of Sokka’s. 

“The only thing on your wanted poster is a picture of that mark on your shoulder and ever since the crystal catacombs…” Sokka trailed off. Emiko touched her shoulder with her free hand. “I know I shouldn’t have mentioned it, but that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.” 

Emiko looked down at the ground. Her hand felt so small in Sokka’s. Sokka tightened his grip, not wanting to lose his new friend. 

“I told you. I hold no loyalty to the fire nation.” Emiko looked up, eyes blazing. “My loyalty lies with the Avatar now. Only with him and his cause.” 

“But your heart lies with Zuko.” 

Emiko flinched. 

Toph might have been blind, but she saw more than most people. Like the tension in the air. Everyone stood in a semi open area of the Western Air Temple. Emiko’s heart was trying to beat right out of her chest. So was Zuko’s on the other side of the area. 

Toph was familiar with the beats of Emiko’s heart. She knew the way it got, the way it would speed up seemly for no reason and keep that pace for days. Zuko though, he was a new variable. His heart could have just been beating that hard because of nerves. After all he was facing the team he’d chased all around the world and asking to join them. 

Wait, no, now it was beating harder. Holy shit, he was as in love with Emiko as Emiko was in love with him.

**Author's Note:**

> you probably guessed it, part of a bigger au


End file.
